Wheel-felly.



PATENTED JAN. 23, 1906.

C. HEART.

WHEEL FELLY. AFPLIOATION NLBD SEPT. s, 1905.

u III/g mutue/Aoca NITED STATES CHARLES HEART, OF ALEXANDRIA, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO HEART METAL WHEEL AND GEAR COMPANY, OF ALEXANDRIA, INDIANA,-

A CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

wHEEL-FELLY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Jan. 23, 1906.

Original application filed May 25, 1905, Serial No. 262,114. Divided and this application filed September 8, 1905. Serial V No.277.487.

- scription of the invention, reference being had l to the accompanying drawings and to the letportions of the wheels, of which the principal ters of reference marked-thereon, which form a part of this s ecification.

This invention relates to wheels that comprise parts of such vehicles as wagons, carriages, automobiles, and the like, the invention having particular reference to the felly f'elements were originally shown in my application filed May 25, 1905, SerialNo. 262,1 14,

and divided therefrom, objects of the invention being to rovide an improved felly for wheels of the allieve-mentioned character that may combine the maximum strength with the minimum weight and be durable and economical in use.

With the above-mentioned and minor objects in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construction in a felly for wheels adapting the same to be formed principally of sheet-metal material, so as to be light, strong, and durable; and the invention consists, further, in the parts and combinations and arrangements of parts, as hereinafter particularly described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a vehicle-wheel having the improved felly; Fig. 2, a perspective View of the joint-piece for the felly of the wheel Fig.

3, a fragmentary plan view of the felly at the joint thereof; Fig. 4, a fragmentary side elevation of the felly at the joint thereof; Fig. 5, a fragmentary horizontal sectional view on the line A A in Fig. 4, omitting the filling of the felly; Fig. 6, a fragmentary vertical sectional view on the line B B in Fig. 3, omitting the filling of the felly; Fig. 7, a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the felly and tire and a 'spoke end in elevation connected therewith, omitting the filling of the felly; Fig. S, a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the felly and tire at a spoke-socket; Fig. 9, a fragsocket; Fig. 10, a transverse sectional view 11 a transverse sectional view on the line D D in Fig. 4 at the joint of the felly.

Similar reference characters in the various figures of the drawings designate corresponding elements or features.

:In the drawings, a designates the hub of a Wheel containing the improvements; b, the

of the felly on' the line e` C in Fig. 4, and Fig.

spokes having tenon-shoulders c; E, the improved felly; F, the joint-piece of the felly,

-and d the tire of the wheel.

The improved felly is composed mainly of;`

a single piece of sheet metal pressed to proper size and shape and so as to be approximately U shape in cross-section7 the whole being circular and having inner flanges and that are engaged by the tire cl, the ends of the piece forming the fellybeing connected together by a novel joint-piece F, that is formed from a single piece of sheet metal by suitable dies and presses, the contour of the jointpiece being approximately U shape in cross-section and having a band-like part doubled upon itself and forming lips e and cand extending over the exterior of the joint ends of the piece forming the felly and between the two joint ends and Living flanges f and f extending against the inner sides of the felly from the joint ends and against the flanges x and the latter being cut back at their ends and the band-like part of the joint-piece having lips g and g extending against the inner side of the tire dbetween the ends of the felly-fianges.

The flangesf and f/ may be suitably secured to the felly, as by. brazin g or by rivets, as may be preferred.

The'felly E has flat spoke-seats 'L pressed in its inner face and an annular flange j, extending about the spoke-holes k to form substantial bearings for the tenen-shoulders of the spokes, the tenons b extending into the sockets l, that are formed in the fillingof the fell The felly being hollow is provided usualfy with a filling G, which may be composed of pressed fiber or other suitable material coated with suitable waterproofing, the sockets Z being formed in the filling; but in small sizes of Wheels the filling may be omitted from the felly, if desired, the filling being designed to brace the thin metal sides of the felly when made relatively large.

A reinforcing-band Hextends along the pe- IOO riphery of the felly with its middle portion between the anges :l: and so as to bear against the tire d, the band having offset side parts h and h', that lap over the inner sides of the flanges :l: and to the inner sides of the side plates of the felly. The filling G when employed enages the band. In some, cases, however, the and may not be required, but is desirable usually in large Wheels, and es ecially when the tire may be allowed to shrink excessively.

It will be understood that various ty es of tires may be applied to the felly. t has been found that in practice soft sheet-steel is the preferable metal of which to form the felly and' its reinforcing-band.

In ractical use the felly will not cause troub e on account of drying and shrinking,

as is the case when composed of wood, and the filling G will prevent the entrance of water to the interior of the felly, thereby preventing deterioration of the metal on account of rust or corrosion.

Havin@r thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. A wheel including a hollow metal felly having a joint rovided with a joint-piece formed of metalpthat is doubled over upon itself at the exterior of the felly and extending between the joint ends of the felly and against the inner sides thereof.

2. A wheel including a hollow metal felly having internal flanges at the periphery thereof, a reinforcing-band extending etween the flanges of the tire and also against the inner surfaces of the flan es, and a tire engaging the reinforcing-ban and also the flanges of the felly. Y

3. A wheel including a hollow metal felly having spoke-seats pressed in the inner face thereof and flanges extending from the spokeseats into the interior of the felly, a lhng in the felly having spoke-sockets therein, spokes engaging the spoke seats and extending through the flanges thereof into the sockets of the lling, and ahub attached to thes okes.

4. A wheel includinga hollow meta felly having internal flanges at the periphery thereof, a reinforcing band extending betweenthe flanges of the tire and also against the inner surfaces of the anges, a filling 1n the felly having spoke-sockets therein and havin its periphery in contact with the inner si e of the reinforcing-band, spokes extending into the sockets of the filling, and a hub attached to the spokes.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES HEART.

Witnesses:

WM. C. THOMPSON, E. T. SILvrUs. 

